Service Star Flags

For the TroopsOhio Chapter 10

PO Box 161Lancaster, OH 43130

The Service flag is an official banner
authorized by the Department of Defense for display by families who
have members serving in the Armed Forces during any period of war or
hostilities the United States may be engaged in for the duration of
such hostilities.

The Service flag, also called the Blue Star Flag, was designed and
patented by WWI Army Captain Robert L. Queisser of the 5th Ohio
Infantry who had two sons serving on the front line. The flag quickly
became the unofficial symbol of a child in service. President Wilson
became part of this history when in 1918 he approved a suggestion made
by the Women's Committee of the Council of National Defenses that
mothers who had lost a child serving in the war wear a gold gilt star
on the traditional black mourning arm band. This led to the tradition
of covering the blue star with a gold star on the Service flag to
indicate that the service member has died.

During WWII the practice of displaying the Service flag became much
more widespread. Most flags were hand made by mothers across the
nation. One of the most famous flags was that of the five Sullivan
brothers who all perished on the U.S.S. Juneau.

The Blue Star Mothers was founded as a Veteran Service Organization
and was part of a movement to provide care packages to military members
serving overseas and also provided assistance to families who
encountered hardships as a result of their son or husband serving in
the war.

In 1960 Congress chartered the Blue Star Mothers of America as a
Veterans Service Organization and in 1966, the Department of Defense
revised the specifications for design, manufacture and display of the
Service flag.

The Department of Defense specifies that family members authorized
to display the flag include the wife, husband, mother, father,
stepmother or father, parent through adoption, foster parents who stand
or stood loco parentis, children, stepchildren, children through
adoption, brothers, sisters and half brothers or sisters of a member of
the Armed Forces of the United States. The flag should be displayed in
a window of the residence of persons authorized.

The Service flag may also be displayed by an organization to honor
the members of that organization serving during a period of war or
hostilities.

The Service Flag is an indoor flag and should be flown facing out from the front window of the home or organization.

If the U.S. flag is also displayed with the Service flag, the U.S.
flag should be of equal or greater proportions and should take the
place of honor above the Service flag.

Each blue star on the flag represents a service member in active
duty. A gold star is displayed if a service member is killed in action
or dies in service. If several stars are displayed by one family the
gold star takes the honor of being placed at the top. The gold star
should be slightly smaller than the blue star to create a blue border
surrounding the gold star.

Display of a Service Star Banner is done during times of war. Once
again families are displaying banners at home. Blue Star Flags may be
purchased through the internet, at stores, or made by hand.